Knitting machine and the production of fabrics thereon



Oct. 24, 1933. E. J. WELFFENS 1,932,151

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KNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON Filed Feb. 15,1932 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. 23 36a 17 160 UU UU WU 16a H mfih p 6 6 m IINVENTOR ATTORNEYJ Oct. 24, 1933. J WELFFENS 1,932,151

KNITTING MACHINE ANQ frHE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON Filed Feb. 15,1932 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 ATTORNEY- Oct. 24, 1933. E. J. WELFFENS1,932,151

KNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON Filed Feb. 15,1932 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 I D ?"T INVENTOR 2 k BTTORNE Y5 Oct. 24, 1933. E,J, WELFFENS KNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON FiledFeb. 15, 1932 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 m W W L mw amw Oct. 24, 1933- E. J.WELFFENS KNITTING MACHINE MID THE PRODUCTION OF FABRICS THEREON FiledFeb. 15, 1932 10 SheetsSheet 1o Patented Get. 24, 1933 sir STATEKNITTING MACHINE AND THE PRODUC- TION F FABRICS THEREON Emile JohnWelffens, Fallowfield, England Application February 15, 1932, Serial No.593,113, and in Great Britain February 17, 1931 21 Claims.

This invention comprises improvements in knitting machines and relatesmore particularly Figure 1 illustrates in sectional elevation one- 16construction of machine in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates in plan one of the many possible arrangements ofcams employed in a machine according to this invention together withfeeding 20 devices for the stitch-forming threads and feeding and layingdevices for weft threads.

Figure 3 is a detail view in part sectional elevation of part of themechanism shown in Figure 2, while Figure 4 is another elevational Viewof part of the mechanism shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 illustrates a needle and shows by way of example threepositions at which butts may be disposed thereon.

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged detail views of the weft-layingelements employed on the machine, Figure 6 showing in elevation thepositions of such weft-laying means relatively to the needle carrier andknocking-over bits.

Figure 10 illustrates a method of manipulating the machine by hand.

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate in elevation and Figure 13 in plan suitablewarp thread and fabric pressers and knitting thread laying means withlatch guard and latch opener.

Figures 14, 15, 16 and 1'7 each illustrate in elevation and plan asuitable construction of knocking-over bit or jack capable of beingemployed in a machine according to this invention.

Figures 18 and 19 are two elevational views at right angles to eachother showing more clearly means for automatically bringing the machineto a standstill in the event of breakage or slackness in the thread.

Figure 20 is a part-sectional plan view illustrating a preferreddrawing-off roller drive.

Figure 21 illustrates in sectional elevation a modified construction ofmachine, and

Figure 22 also illustrates in sectional elevation a further modifiedconstruction of machine.

igures 23 and 24 illustrate by way of example two types of fabric whichcan be produced in accordance with the present invention.

Figures 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 are sectional views with the various partsin their relative positions as seen on lines AB, CD, EF, GH, and J Kindicated on the knitting phase diagram shown in Figure 30.

Figure 30 is a knitting phase diagram showing the threads, the camraces,the needles and the various material parts in their relative positions.

Figure 31 shows in A, B, C and D how the presence of the warp threads istaken advantage of to insure the formation and retentionof loops on theneedle shanks.

Figures 32 and 33 show one arrangemnt of the starting and stopping gear.

Figures 34 and 35 show one arrangement of centering the sector carryingcrown wheelaround the needle bed, and one way of fixing the sectors tothe crown wheel.

In the construction of machine according to Figure 1 a circular knittingmachine is illustrated having a stationary annular dial or needlecarrier 1 with tricks in its upper face accommodating needles 2. Theseneedles are reciprocated by needle-operating cams 3 which rotaterelatively to the needle carrier 1, the needles accommodated by saidcarrier projecting radially inwards towards the dial centre.

The needle-operating or knitting cams 3 are preferably carried byslippers 4 which in turn are carried by sectors 5 suitably fixed to acrown Wheel 6, such sectors preferably corresponding in number with thenumber of feeds on the machine. Advantageously the needle carrier 1 issupported upon inwardly projecting Webbed arms 1a of an externalhousing.

The crown wheel 6 and consequently also the cams 3 rotate immediatelyabove and concentrically around the needle carrier 1, each sector 5carrying a set of knitting cams and the number and type or such cam setswill vary in accordance with the size of, the machine and the class orconstruction of the fabric to be produced.

The needles 2 are preferably but not necessarily 100 latch needles andoperate in association with knocking-over bits or jacks 7 which arefixed to theneedle carrier 1 in any suitable manner, such for example,as by plates 8 and packing element 8a (Figure 6). Said packing elementmay be of 105 lead or any other suitable yielding material and beemployed to ensure a good grip.

The crown wheel 6v preferably but not necessarily runs upon rollers 9revolubly supported on ball bearings or otherwise on pins 10 Which are ladjustably fixed to uprights 11 of the machine frame. The crown wheel 6with cam races 3 is kept in correct position with regard to the needlecarrier 1, and this may be accomplished by providing a plurality ofsuitable guides 34 running around a rest provided below teeth out in theouter periphery of the needle carrier, and as illustrated in Figs. 34and 35.

The machine is driven from a vertical shaft 12 which imparts rotarymotion to the crown wheel 6 carrying the knitting cams through a pinion13 meshing with said crown wheel. A ring 14 suspended by rods 15 fromthe crown wheel 6 carries weft thread supply packages 16 which suppliesthe weft thread 16a on the outside of a squirrel cage formation ofthreads constituted by a circular series of warp threads 1'? which aresupplied from suitably braked warp drums 18 and which are spread andspaced by circular combs 28 and 29. A pinion 19 meshing with gear teethout on the needle carrier 1 rotates, through a spindle 21 rotatablymounted in each of the sectors 5, two measuring wheels which feed weftthreads 16a and of which the driver is 20.

Located around the circumference of the crown wheel 6 is a ring 22preferably of L-shape in a section supported on suitable runners such as23, said ring 22 masking the teeth in the crown wheel 6 and being itselfprovided on its upper edge or rim with ratchet teeth, with which teeth apivoted pawl 24, hereinafter more fully described, is adapted to engagein the event of weft thread 16a becoming broken or unduly slack. Whenthe pawl 24 ccacts with the ratchet teeth on the ring 22 the latter istraversed in a regular path on the runners 23 in unison with the wheel 6and in so doing a vertical rod 25 (as more clearly shown in Fig. 32, andagain later herein referred to) is displaced relatively to the machineframe and operates a suitable clutch 26 so as to disconnect the driveshaft 12 from its driving mechanism and stop the machine. In lieu ofoperating the clutch 26 to stop the machine the ring 22 may be soharnessed that its displacement will serve to cause stoppage of themachine, or other suitable well known contrivances for automaticallystopping a machine may be availed of. Additionally the lower ring 22 mayhave a hand rail 91 (see Fig. 32) associated therewith for handoperation.

The warp threads 17 which are non-knitting threads are drawn from aplurality of braked drums or beams 18 which are mounted tangen tially ofthe machine frame or housing and said warp threads pass down through theteeth of a plurality oscillatory combs 27 loaded by springs 27a, therebeing preferably a plurality of such combs for each drum. These combsmaintain the warp thread taut their plurality allows of same to operateindividually as when required during the production of fabric. The warpthreads 1'? extending from the combs 27 maintained separate and in theircorrectrelative positions during their travel from the drums 18 bypassing throug one or inoreannular or circular combs or guide rings.Preferably two such circular combs are provided shown at 28 and 29,the'threads passing between the te th thereof to theirre uired positionmidway between adjacent needles 2 in the needle bed 1.

Either or both of the combs 28, 29 may be replaced by perforated rings,the thread guide holes of which may be staggered to permit ofcomparatively large holes being provided. Located at the upper part ofthe machine above and on of a fixed crown portion 34.

the interior of the cage of warp threads, the second crown wheel 30 ispreferably provided supported on rollers 9a carried by pins 10aadjustably fixed in the machine uprights 11. This upper crown wheel isdriven from the shaft 12 through pinion 31, and preferably, but notnecessarily, same is maintained concentric with the needle bed 1 bymeans such as a bush 32 revolubly mounted on the central shaft 33 of themachine which is fixed to and suspended from a boss 34c Radial stays orrods 35 connect the crown wheel 30 to the revolving bush 32, andexterior of said crown wheel circumference a second L-sectioned ring220: may be located with ratchet teeth and associated pivoted pawl 2 .05adapted to operate in the manner and for the purpose described withreference to the ring 22 encircling the crown wheel 6.

The upper crown wheel 30 carries yarn packages 06 from which knittingthreads 36a are sup" plied and fed inside the circular series of warpthreads 17, rotatable thread feed units 37 being also carried by saidcrown wheel 30 and being driven by pinions 39 which are themselvesrotated by running round a stationary toothed wheel 40 fixed to theuprights ll; threads 360, being tenioned by spring-ten ioned elements 38or similar means.

Mounted to revolve on the suspended central shaft 33 is a member 41bearing upon another member l2 on said shaft, means such as a cam devicebeing provided in connection with the member 42 for permitting thevertical adjustof the member ll relatively to the needles, said m mberll. being driven from the'upper crown wheel 38 through one or more armsas or other suitable means. This member il which is preferably ofwheel-like formation carries units 1 i embodying thread guides which laythe threads 36a weft-wise in the needles 2, said units is also carryinglatch guards and latch openers and warp thread-pressing elements 45 andfabric pressers 45a. These variouselements are illustrated in greaterdetail in igures 11, 12 and 13 and will be referred to n The sectors 5carrying the knitting cams 3 also carry units 46 which embody arotatable mushroom spreader for spreading the warp threads 1 to permitweft laying, afinger element which carries a trailer wire for locatingweft thread beneath the needles, and in some cases a detachable fingerfor accommodating broken ends of the weft threads, and enabling suchthreads to be reinserted in the fabric, the several elements embodied insaid units 46 being illustrated in greater detail in Figures 6, 7, 8 and9 and being referred to again hereinafter.

Fixed at a suitable distance below the knitting level is a circularfabric stretcher 47, the diameter of which ensures the produced fabricbeing maintained circular and taut as it is drawn from the needles. Anadjustable stretcher 48 suspended by one or more rods 49 from the saidstretcher 427 maintains thefabric taut-and stretched whilst same isguided between suitable drawing-off rollers 59 and 51. These drawing-offrollers are mounted in bearing brackets 52 in any suitable manner andare driven from the drive shaft 12, through intermeshing bevelled gears53, shaft 54, further intermeshing bevels 55, change speed gearing 56and suitable d'iferential reduction gearing indicated on Figure 1 at 57.The brackets 52 carrying the rollers 5c and 51 are mounted on themachine base 58 within suitable bearings 59, on which base drive shafts12 are rotatably mounted. Intermeshing worm gear 60 may be provided, oneelement of which is carried by a motor shaft 61 or any equivalent powershaft.

The particular construction and arrangement of knitting cams, threadlaying devices, pressers and other elements associated with thestitch-forming mechanism may be varied in many ways without departingfrom the scope of the present invention and in accordance with theparticular type or construction of fabric required to be knitted, andthe needles 2 may themselves be provided with butts of different heightsor with butts located at different positions along the length of theneedles. In Figs. 2 and 30 of the drawings is illustrated, by way ofexample, a knitting phase wherein the weft thread 16a is laidalternately above and below the needles, the laying above being effectedto permit weft thread to be knitted into the web at predeterminedintervals. In the example illustrated, certain of the needlesadvantageously constituting the major portion of said needles have endbutts 2a (Figure 5), one half of the remaining needles have butts at theposition indicated at 21) and the other half of the remainder have buttsat the position indicated at 20, the needle-operating cam mechanismbeing so designed that the needles with butts 2a always knit the threads36a but never knit the weft threads 164 while needles with butts 2b andthose with butts 2c alternately knit in the weft 16a, means beingprovided as hereinafter described for ensuring that the needles withbutts 2b and 20 when knitting in the weft thread 16a do not knit in theknitting thread 36a.

In Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 the weft-laying units are clearly illustrated.Each unit which is fixed to one of the sectors 5 embodies a rotaryspreader 46a of approximately conical formation revolubly mounted in asuitable bracket fixed to said sector. Each spreader 46a has on itsouter face a shoulder or flange against which a disc 46?) is fixed, thusconstituting a guiding and protecting groove circumferentially of thefeeder for the weft 16a. Selected of the units 46 which are adapted tofeed weft thread below the needles are provided with fixed fingers 46con the non-feeding side of the unit and partly within thecircumferential groove thereof, said finger extending to the undersideof the unit and carrying at its lower end a suitably shaped trailer wireor element 4611, the construction and disposition of said trailer beingsuch that the hooked extremities of a few needles operated by'theknitting cams are always located on the top of said trailer, and byvirtue of the fact that the weft 16a passes below the trailer same ispositively guided below the needles.

On selection of the units 45 a second finger 466 may advantageously befixed in a readily detachable manner, said finger being located on thefeeding side of the unit and also partially within the circumferentialgroove thereof and terminating at the lower end in a point or prong. Inthe event of a weft thread 160: becoming broken such finger 46c isdetached and the broken end of the yarn from the supply is wound asuitable number of times round the point and the finger replaced. In sodoing the broken end of the yarn is positioned immediately in front ofthe trailer 46d so as to be in contact with the fabric depending fromthe needles, and the fibrous nature of the yarns in said fabric causesthe broken end to adhere thereto and again introduce the weft thread tocontinue laying.

One of the units 46 employed in each knitting phase is provided onlywith the finger 46c, and

by reason of the finger 460 with trailer 46d being omitted it will beobvious that this unit will lay weft thread above the needles. In thisunit the spreader 46a or the disk of 46b, see Fig. 27 may preferably butnot necessarily be provided at its circumference with a series of fineteeth, as indicated in Figures 9 and 2'7, such teeth being adapted tocoact with the needle stems and effect rotation of the spreader. In thisunit, shown in Figure 9, the finger 466 may be shaped somewhatdifferently, and the pointed end be carried further forward so as tocause the broken end of weft thread to be brought into contact with warpthreads which have moved away from the infiuence of the spreader 46a.Another of the units indicated in Figure 2 at 460 may be provided withthe finger 46c and trailer 4601 but without the finger 46c. This unitdoes not function as a feeding unit but only to ensurethat Weft 16apreviously laid over the needles and knitted at intervals is directedbelow those needles which knit the thread.

In Figures 11, 12 and 13 are illustrated suitable units for feeding theknitting threads 36a to the needles. Two types of these knitting threadunits are advantageously provided adapted to operate in succession. Eachunit is adjustably fixed to the wheel-like member 41 adapted to re volveabout the central shaft 33, and each unit embodies a bracket portion 62carrying a latch guard 63, a latch opener 64 constituted by a brush orequivalent member, an upper horizontally disposed member or discconstituting a warp thread presser, preferably rotatable, and a lowerhorizontally disposed member or disc 45a also preferably rotatable andconstituting a fabric presser, all of said elements operating Within thecage of warp threads 1'7. Two units are in the main constructedsimilarly, but whereas in the first unit to operate, the thread presserand fabric presser 45, 45a are spaced apart in a directioncircumferentially of the machine so as to permit of weft thread beinglaid above the needles, in the second unit to operate, these two presserelements are located closely together because during the period at whichsaid unit operates no weft is laid over the needles. Each knitting unitis provided with any suitable thread-guiding means, such for example asan eye 65a and a grooved member 65?) (see Figures 2 and 13). It is to beunderstood that the thread presser and fabric presser 45 and 45afunction to maintain the warp threads 17 and the fabricup against theknocking-over bits 7, and the spreaders 46a operate between the levelsof said presser members.

One knitting phase for the production of fabric on a machine as aboveand as illustrated in Figs. 2, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 will now bedescribed by way of example.

The warp threads 1'? are maintained by the guide ring 29 at a suitableangle awayfrom or inwardly from the knccking-over bits 7 so as topermitof the warp spreader 46a associated with the first weft-laying unit 46Ato run behind s the warp threads and force them to the right positionfor laying weft (see Fig. 25). Simultaneously with the operation of thespreader upon the warps the first weft-laying unit 46A lays the weft 16abelow the needles which are just advancing over the trailer element 46d,and the needles continue to advance by cam operation until the loopsthereon are cleared behind the latches. The needles are then retractedby suitable cams to a short distance far enough tocause the latchespartially to close and rest against the latch guards 63 (Figures 11, 2'7and 30). They are then advanced again to an extent sufficient to enablethe toothed spreader e68 to mesh with the. needle stems behind that partof the needle having the latch pivot, so as to effect rotation of saidspreader 463 which operates to lay a second weft 16a above the needles(see Fig. 27). During the laying of this second weft the needles aremaintained suificiently advanced to permit of the first knitting threadunit operating to lay knitting thread 36a in the needle hooks, whichthread is knitted in.

The cam slide 68 (Figure 2) which carries the knitting cams for knittingin the thread 36a embodies cam elements :0 designed and located tooperate on selection of the needles having the butts 2c in such a mannerthat said needles knit later than the remaining needles having the butts2a and 2b, and immediately prior to the operation of said needles withbutts 20 by the cams. An auxiliary cam y operates to move such needlesforward to a position wherein the laid thread 36a is drawn back by thepull exerted thereon by the just previously foriied stitches located onthe other needles on either side thereof to a position at the back ofthe latch,

' see dotted latch in 27, thus assisting in preventing the said thread36a from being knitted on the needle with butt 20 whilst permitting theweft thread 1611 to be taken in the needle hook of 2c and knitted in,see Figs. 28 and 29.

After knitting by the cams on slide 68 all the needles are maintainedfully withdrawn within the knocking-over bits and the unit dGC thenoperates to push the weft thread. last laid below the advancing needles,that is to say, the weft thread which has been knitted in the needleshaving butts 2c, and the second knitting unit lsa then functions to layanother knitting thread in the needles which thread is knitted in by theaction of a further set of cams 68a.

After operation by the cams 68a all of the needles are again locatedfully withdrawn until another weft-laying unit 46A operates to lay afurther weft below advancing needles and begin another knitting phase orcycle of knitting operations.

The second knitting phase is the same as that previously described withthe exception that the positions of the cane races 21) and 20 shown inFig. are reversed the needles having butts 2b are in this case operatedupon in a similar manner to that described above with reference to theneedles having butts 2c and the needles having butts 2c are operated in.the ordinary manner, and since the needles with butts 2b are positionedmidway between the needles with butts 20 it will be appreciated that theknitted loops of weft produced by the needles having butts 20 will belocated midway between the knitted'loops produced by the needles havingbutts 2?). Also it will be understood that one plain, i. e. unknittedweft, extends between two knitteddn wefts.

In Figure 23 of the drawings is illustrated a piece of fabric such as isproduced by the operations just previously described, and from this itwill be clearly seen that the majority of the stitches are made in theweft thread 36a and are located on one side of the warps i7, and wherestitches are produced in the weft 16s on the opposite side of saidwarps, as shown at 1600, no stitch is formed in the thread 3601.. Gtherwefts are shown which are never knitted in, and these wefts may or maynot be included as desired.

It will be clear by reference to Figure 2 that the fabric presser a isin each case so positioned as to press the fabric against theknocking-over bits '7 at the correct time during the advancing movementof the needles by the action of the knitting cams, and that the warpthread presser i5 is in each case positioned to press the warp threads1'? against and between the thread-guiding indentations at the top ofthe bits 7 during the actual knitting period.

A machine constructed and operated in accordance with this invention hasthe facilities associated with moving sinkers without employing them. Itis possible to start knitting on the machine with empty needles,consequently the machine can also bestarted after a press-cit withoutperforming the tedious task of hooking on. Casting off is ensuredwithout having to rely entirely on the fabric pull, given by drawingoffrollers and 51, for eirecting it.

Starting up and re-starting is made easy and simple because a weftthread 16a is always laid below the needles and behind the warp threads17 (i. e. outside the squirrel cage formed by such warp threads) after aknitting thread 36a has been drawn from the inside of the squirrel cageand because so laying weft threads 16a causes loops to be always formedand retained on the needle shanks (see Fig. 31, A, B, C and D) when theneedles again move forward to take knitting thread 36a for the nextloop;

Casting-on" or knocking-over is ensured by the spreading and the forcingdown of the fabric and of the warp threads 1'7 by mushroom 46a, as shownin Figure 25. Consequently the effect produced by the action of spreader46ais co; parable to that of moving sinkers and fabric pull thereforedoes not play such an important role. It is to be understood that wherein this specification mention is made of laying thread below the needlesit is intended to' cover the laying of such Weft on the plain side ofthe needles, i. e. the side opposite to the hook.

Again by causing the needles to reciprocate in a plane at substantiallyright angles to the guided warp threads 1'? passing therebetween, theweft threads are retained in position below or at the back of theneedles more eificiently than if the warp threads and needles were notso positioned relatively to each other, while by guiding the warpthreads at right angles or substantially so to the needles thepossibilityof knitting in such warp threads is reduced to an absoluteminimum.

In Figure 10 is illustrated one method of operating the machine by handand where such method is employed a manually operable device wouldpreferably be provided in connection with each of the frame uprights 11.In the arrangement illustrated the gear 13 is a compound gear embodyinga bevel portion meshing with pinion !1 on a spindle '72 which rotates ina bearing or bracket '73. The hand-wheel 74 is nor: mally free to turnon the spindle '72 and is adapted to have a clutching engagement with apart 75 fixed to said spindle 72. A suitable spring '76 normally retainsthe clutch out of engageinent.

It will be understood that it is a distinct ad vantage to have theneedles, cam races and the weft thread laying and feeding mechanismoutside the squirrel cage formed by the circular-series of warp thread,firstly, becausethey are easy of access and secondly, because by placingthe knitting cams and needles outside greater freedom of cam design isobtained as also a freer and smoother cam motion. 7

Additionally, it will also be appreciated that by applying the drive toth machine well outside the knitting position a smoother drive isobtained and inertia effects minimized, Again by applying the stopmechanism. as far as possible from the centre of the-machine same willoperate to the best advantage, and it will be appreciated that for anyangle of. travel which may be required to bring the machine to rest, thedistance traversed at the circumference at which the stop mechanismprovided will of necessity be considerably greater than the distancetraversed at the knitting position so that in the event of yarn breakageonly a minimum of the needles will loose their thread. This is av matterof some importance in high speed machines.

In Figures 14 to 17 inclusive four different types of compositeknocking-over bits are illustrated. The bits shown in Figures 14:, 15and 16 are built up of three pieces, a, b, c, and when the bits arefixed in position in the machine the part a constitutes a prolongationof the needle trick in the carrier 1, while 1) forms a spacing piece,the upper horizontal edge, of which lies flush with the bottom of theneedle trick to give support to the needle where it is most required. 0is also a spacing piece with a forwardly projecting pointed portion.When the knocking-over bits are fixed in position at the innercircumference of the needle carrier 1 the spacing pieces 0 make contactone with another and form a rigid or unbroken ring, while the pointedportions of said pieces 0 form the indentations which during theknitting period accommodate the warp threads and maintain or assist inmaintaining same midway between the needles. The knocking-over bit shownin Figure 17 which is particularly suitable for coarse gauge machineshas a relatively thick tail portion and a working head of reducedthickness to give clearance for the needles between adjacent bits, thetail being thickened by fixing separate lamina to the central part ofthe bit. 7

Figs. l8, l9 and 32 illustrate in detail one suitable arrangement forbringing the machine to rest in the event of a weft thread 16a breakingor becoming too slack. In this arrangement a pawl catch 24 is rotatablysupported in a suitable bracket 67 fixed to oneof the sectors 5 carryingthe knitting cams. By means of one or more adjustable nuts orweights-168, the catch is balanced on its pivot so that should thethread 16a break. or be unduly slack said catch oscillates on its pivotfrom its balanced position.- Any suitable spring indicated at 69 isprovided so adjusted its normal resistance sufiices to carry the ratchetring 22 round with the crown wheel 6 when the catch 24 is moved intoengagement with said ring. If, for any reason the ring 22 is preventedfrom turning, the spring 69 will yield and prevent breakages, while thenoise of the catch 24 slipping over the ratchet teeth will call theoperators attention. The head of a stud 70 associated with the catch 24is cut away at We to allow normal motion of the catch on its pivotwithout spring action.

Obviously the displacement given to rings 22 or 22a may be harnessed indifferent ways to bring the machine to rest. In the arrangementaccording to Figure 32 rod 25 is supported against upright 11 andcarries a fork engaging the top part of clutch 26 slidably fixed todriving shaft l2. Rings 22 and 22a carry projections 86 and 86a againstwhich arm 87 and 87a fixed to rod 25 are forced by the action of spring88. On ring 22 or 22a being engaged by pawl catch '24 or 24a they rotatewith wheel 6 or 30, arm 87 is displaced by the cam-like projection 86 or86a and this turns rod 25. Due to the action of cam 89 fixed to rod 25upon cam 90 fixed to upright 11, red 25 and consequently fork 85 and thetop of clutch 26 are lifted. This disconnects driving shaft 12 anddriving wheel 60 and so stops the machine. Hand rail 91 fixed to ring 22allows that ring to be moved by hand and consequentlyallows the machinebeing stopped by hand.

In Figure 20 is shown one arrangement of difierential reduction gearwhich may be incorporated in the wheel train which drives the draw--ing-oif rollers 50 and 51 from the vertical drive shaft 12. In thisarrangement a wheel 77 is fixed to the roller 51 and Wheel '78 to thebearing bracket 52. A box wheel 57 carries pinion 80, which meshes withboth wheels 77 and 78 and runs around th se wheels and is driven from achange speed Wheel 56. The difference in the number of teeth in wheels'77 and 78 determines the magnitude of the reduction, adjusted torequirements, whilst the direction of rotation of the rollers dependsupon the number of teeth in the wheel fixed to the driven roller.Instead of the differential reduction gear described, any of the severalother known differential reduction gears might be used.

Figure 21 is a sectional elevation showing a modified construction ofmachine in which the knitting position is arranged outside the annulardial constituting the needle bed or carrier 1, the knitting cams, weftlayers, weft feeds and associated mechanism being located inside thesquirrel cage formed by the warp threads 1'7. In such an arrangement theknitting cams are driven by the upper crown wheel 30, the lower crownwheel 6 carrying the knitting thread feeds, knitting thread units andassociated parts. The reference numeralsin this figure indicate the sameparts as those previously described.

Figure 22 illustrates a further modified construction of machine inwhich a third crown wheel 6a is arranged and driven as explained withreference to Figure 1. use of an open shed of warp threads 17, warpthread guide rings 29 and 29a each having room for the full complementof warp threads and thereby allowing the shed to be arranged in a greatvariety of ways. It also allows of weft threads to be laid inside thewarp shed, outside the warp threads and inside the warp threads indifferent sequences and to knit them in as desired. The same numeralsagain refer to the same parts as described with reference to Figure 1.

In Figure 24 is shown a portion of fabric produced on a machine inaccordance with Figure 22. In the fabric illustrated the stitches of thethread 3551. are located always on one or front side of the two sets ofwarps 17 whereas the weft threads which are at intervals formed withstitches 16:1: pass alternately in front of and between the two sets ofwarps. In the particular arrangement shown, following the course of thestitched-in wefts 16afrom the left hand side of the figure it will beobserved that they first extend to the rear of three adjacent warpthreads, then in front of the next three warps, after which they extendat the front and rear of alternate warps. This affords an illustrationof the fact that patterning can'be effected by a pre-arrangeddisposition of This arrangement allows the I the warp threads formingthe warp shed. Additional wefts are shown extending at the rear of allthe warps, said additional wefts not being knitted at any position.

It will be appreciated that by virtue of laying weft in a shed of warps,said warps when subsequently pulled taut in the crabbing process tightlyrip the weft and cause same to become more or less crimped.

In order to facilitate the designing and the patterning of the cloths tobe produced by means other than or additional to colour schemes for thewarp threads, the weft threads and the knitting threads, the number ofneedles in the machine as well as the number of feeds for weft threadand for knitting thread may be such as to be divisible by a great numberof factors. For the same puipose any of the many well-known means suchas pattern wheels, pattern cylinders, pattern chains and the like maywith their attendant jacks, pickers and the like be used for needleselection. Needle selection for designing by tucking and for laying weftthreads in predetermined ways and.

positions may be obtained by using any of the many well knownarrangements of plural cam races coacting with needles having aplurality of butts, of contrasting butts, or both.

It is also to be understood that the weft thread may be laid in avariety of Ways so that it is embodied and gripped in the knitted fabricwith out itself being formed into knitted loops.

It may here be mentioned that the term weft thread has been utilized inthe foregoing description as applied to the threads 16a and todistinguish same from the knitting threads 36a, but it will, of course,be understood that the knitting threads 36a are also traversed weft-wisein the fabric and, therefore, thus constitute weft threads, and wherethe term weft is employed in the appended claims same is intended toinclude any threads extending weft-wise of the fabric, that is to say,both the threads 16a and 36a.

Instead of using drawing-01f rollers fixed in position, same may bemounted in a cradle in any known manner. Instead of driving such rollersat a constant speed and providing a set of change wheels asbefore-described to adjust the drawingoff speed to the fabric beingmade, any of the well-known worm gear drives may be employed includingan intermittent clutch gear.

Instead of warp thread guide rings having needles as separators, theymay have teeth of a suitable shape cut on them, or a threaded ring witha deep thread and suitable pitch may be used. Such guide rings might beplaced nearer to the needle-bed, and thereby give more acute deflectionto the warp threads and so allow mushroom spreaders e60, to be dispensedwith.

Additionally the central shaft 33 may be hollow and leads 82 as shown inFig. 1 may be brought inside same and through suitable holes to one ormore electric lamps 81 fixed to shaft 33 or otherwise mounted for thepurpose of lighting the interior of the machine.

It will be further obvious that the construction of the machine may bemodified considerably without departing from the scope of the invention.Instead of being floor supported in a framing as shown and described,the material parts may be arranged so as to allow of suspension fromgirders. They might likewise be arranged for the needle-bed to be drivenand rotated, although in connection with comparatively large diametermachines such arrangement would not be preferred as it would necessitatethe heavy fabric 'be taken away. The constructions hereinbeforedescribed by way of example allow fabric rolls to be taken away withoutstopping the machine and also allow rolls. to be formed outside and awayfrom the machine.

In some instances the detachable knockingover bits 7 may be dispensedwith and in their place may be provided suitably cut or shapedtooth-like elements or portions formed integral with the needlecarrier'and projecting inwardly and radially therefrom i. e. towards thehooked ends of the needles when same are projected.

I claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine adapted for the production of Warp andweft fabric containing non-knitted warp threads, the combination of aneedle bed, reciprocating needles therein, warp thread-supplying andfeeding means, weft thread-supplying and feeding means, means wherebyselected of the weft threads are formed into knitted stitches and meanswhereby the warp threads are guided between the needles so that thedirection in which said warp threads extend to the needles and thedirection of fabric withdrawal from the needles are both at right anglesor approximately so to said needles.

2. In a circular knitting machine adapted for the production of warp andweft fabric containing non-knitted warp threads, the combination of ahorizontal or approximately horizontal needle bed, needles arrangedradially in said bed, means for guiding non-knitted warp threadssubstantially vertically downwards to pass between predeterminedadjacent needles at approximately right angles to said needles, meansfor feeding weft thread on each side of the non-knitted warp threads andmeans for producing knitted stitches in selected of said weft threads.

3. In a knitting machine according to claim 2, means for successivelydisplacing the warp threads forwardly, i. e. in a direction towards thehooked ends of the needles, during the laying of weft threads.

4. In a knitting machine according to claim 2, including means operatingto feed a knitting weft thread to the needles forwardly of the warps,means operating subsequent to said feeding to retract the needlesrearwardly of the warps and knock over previously formed loops on theneedle shanks, means for feeding weft thread and laying same over thesaid knitting thread rearwardly of the warps, means operating to passthe last named weft thread underneath the needles, means operating againto advance the-needles to a forward feeding position and means wherebythe relative position of the thread is maintained during such needleadvancement.

5. In a circular knitting machine adapted for the production of warp andweft fabric containing non-knitted warp threads, the combination of ahorizontal or approximately horizontal needle bed; needles arrangedradially in said bed, means for guiding non-knitted warp threadssubstantially vertically downwards to pass between predeterminedadjacent needles at approximately right angles thereto, means forfeeding weft thread on each side of the non-knitted warp threads andmeans for producing knitted stitches in selected of said weft threads sooperating that selected of the weft threads carried by suppliespositioned rearwardly of the warps are laid under the needles, meansoperating to knit others of 7 said weft threads on selected needles,means opcrating to pass the last-named weft threads to the underside ofthe needles after being knitted and means whereby all the needles otherthan the aforesaid selected needles operate to knit at each feedknitting thread fed to the needles forwardly of the warps.

6. A knitting machine according to claim 2 including knocking-over bitsassociated with the needles and the said knocking over bits function ingto maintain the warp threads midway or substantially midway betweenadjacent n edles during the knitting operations.

- '7. A knitting machine according to claim 2 and includingknocking-over bits removably fixed to a bed or carrier accommodating theneedles, said knocking-over bits also functioning to maintain the warpthreads midway between the needles during the knitting operations.

8. In a knitting machine according to claim 2, a tricked bed or carrierslidably supporting the needles, knocking-over bits located at the edgeof said carrier from which the needles are adapted to be projected, saidknocking-over bits functioning as warp guiding and spacing means andalso to assist in slidably supporting the needles when in theirprojected or advanced position.

9. A knitting machine according to claim 2 and including means wherebythe weft threads which are fed from supplies located rearwardly of thewarps are progressively laid by rotatory feeding devices.

10. A knitting machine according to claim 2 and including means wherebythe weft threads which are fed from supplies positioned rearwardly ofthe warps are fed by devices which operate to lay said weft threadsunder and over the needles (on the plain and hooked sides) atpredetermined intervals.

11. A knitting machine embodying in combination an annular needlecarrier, radial tricks in said carrier, a series of needles, saidneedles being mounted to reciprocate in said tricks, means for feedingknitting thread to said needles, knocking over bits, said bits beingassociated with said needles and arranged around one circumferentialedge of the annular carrier between adjacent ne dles, needle-operatingcams, means for imparting relative motion between said cams and theneedle carrier, a series of warp threads, feeding and tensioning meansfor said warp threads located above the needle carrier, means formaintaining the warp threads of said series of threads suitably spacedin their travel to the needles, the said knocking-over bits operating tomaintain said warp threads midway or substantially midway betweenpredetermined adjacent needles during stitch formation so that said warpthreads are not themselves stitched, weft thread feeding and guidingmechanism located on the opposite side of the warps to the aforesaidknitting thread feeding means, said weft thread feeding mechanism beingassociated with the needle-operating cam mechanism, and means wherebysaid weft thread feeding mechanism operates to lay the weft threadsprogressively across the needles.

12. A knitting machine according to claim 11 and wherein the annularneedle carrier is supported'by a stationary frame, while the needleoperating cams are carried by and rotate with a crown wheel revolublysupported by said frame.

13. A knitting machine according to claim 11 and including a stationaryframe, said frame supporting the needle carrier in a non-rotatablemanner, a crown wheel revolubly supported by said frame,needle-operating cams carried by and rotating with said crown wheel,said revoluble crown wheel also carrying weft thread feeding and layingmeans, a second revolubly mounted member located interiorly of and atthe opposite side of the series of warp threads and said secondrevolubly mounted member carrying guiding and feeding mechanism forknitting thread.

14. A knitting machine according to claim 11 and including means wherebythe machine is automatically brought to a stand-still in the. event ofbreakage of thread and in the event of such thread becoming undulyslack.

15. A knitting machine according to claim 11 and includin a crown wheelrotatably carried by the machine frame, a pivoted catch associated withsaid crown wheel, a ratchet device adapted to be engaged by said pivotedcatch, means whereby said pivoted catch is normally retained out ofengagement with said ratchet by weft thread fed to the machine needlesand means whereby in the event of breakage of or undue slackness in saidweft thread said pivoted catch co-operates with said ratchet device andthrough said device operate means for bringing the machine to astandstill.

16. In a knitting machine a needle bed, a series of needles in said bed,means operating to reciprocate said needles for stitch production, twoseries of warp threads with separate supplies therefor, means forsimultaneously feeding said two series of warps to the web beingknitted, said warp threads being guided between predetermined adjacentneedles without being knitted, means for feeding knitting thread to theneedles at a position forwardly of the warps, i. e. on the opposite sideof the warps to that at which the needle bed is situated, means forsupplying weft thread and laying same across the needles between the twoseries of warps so as to be em braced thereby, and said weft threadbeing at predetermined times formed into knitted stitches.

17. An knitting machine according to claim 16 wherein the two series ofwarp threads extend at an angle to each other and furnish a permanentlyopen shed of warps into which weft thread is laid.

18. A knitting machine according to claim 16 and including means wherebyknitting threads are fed to the needles on both sides of the warp shedconstituted by the two series of warp threads sic; as to producestitches on both sides of said s ed.

19. A circular knitting machine embodying in combination a machineframe, an annular needle carrier within said frame, needles mounted toreciprocate in tricks within said carrier, needleoperating cams, meansfor effecting relative r0- tation between said cams and the needlecarrier, a crown wheel associated with the needle-operating cams, meansfor transmitting rotation to said 1-" crown wheel from a suitable driveshaft, weft thread supplies, said supplies being carried by a membersuspended from and rotating with said crown wheel, a circular series ofnon-knitting warp threads, supplying, feeding and tensioning 2i, 1

crown wheel, knitting thread supplying, tensioning and feeding meansmounted to rotate within the aforesaid circular series of warp threads,the knitting thread feeding means being carried by and rotating with aWheel-like member within and substantially in the plane of the annularneedle carrier, said knitting thread feeding means also incorporatingwarp thread pressers and fabric pressers which travel round with thefeed, a fabric stretcher located below the knitting level, means fordrawing-off the knitted fabric, and means for automatically bringing themachine to a standstill in the event of breakage or undue slackness ofthread fed to the needles.

20. A circular knitting machine according to claim 19 with thisdifference that the knitting position is arranged outside the annularneedlecarrier, that the needle-operating cams, weft laying and feedingmeans are located inside the circular series of warp threads, that theneedleoperating cams are driven by the upper crown wheel and that thelower crown wheel carries the knitting thread feeds and associatedparts.

21. A circular knitting machine according to claim 19 with this additionthat two circular series of warp threads are provided together with warpsupplying, tensioning and guiding means, said two series of warpsextending to the needles at an angle to each other, and weft threadbeing fed into the open shed between said warps.

EMILE JOHN WELFFENS.

